Career Focus
Managing a Research Group
You worked hard to get your Ph.D.; you went through a few postdoc positions around the world; and now your life’s ambition is fulfilled at last: You get to start or develop your own research group. Are you ready? Sure, you are a seasoned scientist, but how good are you at managing other researchers?
A few months ago, I was asked to address Ph.D. students on the topic of persuasion. To illustrate my points, I chose instances of "persuading your Ph.D. advisor" (for example, to let you attend a specific conference). Little did I anticipate how much my examples would resonate with my attendees: After the session, the line of them waiting to ask me additional questions was much longer than usual, and their questions were really excuses to complain about their advisors. Clearly, they thought they had found a sympathetic ear at last, and they so much needed to pour their heart out; some of them were in tears.
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